There was a knock at the door. Marge entered and took in the scene, shaking her head and folding her arms.
“There’s someone here to see you. I suggest you both make yourselves presentable. Next time use the bedroom for your gallivanting.”
Heath turned to Evie, who sat up and was rearranging her bra and fastening her top. He wanted to be the gentleman and avert his gaze, but all he could think about was how her nipple had felt under his lips as he had tugged and nipped at it. He was still hard and in no state to meet a healer. When he was around Evie, he reverted to a newly arrived Midworlder, who couldn’t get enough sex and had difficulty controlling himself.
“We’re not doing too well at the avoiding-sex thing, are we, Heath? If we’re not going to jump each other all the time, we need to take a lot of cold showers. No. That won’t work. I just imagined you naked in the shower.” Evie smiled at him and laughed to herself. His heart melted.
He touched her bottom lip with his finger. Her mouth hung open, and he wanted to delve in with his tongue yet again.
“I don’t know if this is lust or the beginning of something more, but I will find a way for us to be together. If that’s what you want,” Heath said.
“I want it so much, my body aches for you. I just feel that between how you said you make humans feel sexually turned on, and then the darkness wanting me to do things I don’t know, how much of this is really me? A part of me doesn’t care because I deserve some good sex and some fun loving after so long.”
“You don’t deserve to die because of it, though. I’ll not be responsible for that.”
“Then let’s go and hear what this healer has to say about me. I’m not sure who I’m more scared of. Her, or your housekeeper.”
Heath didn’t know this Midworlder healer called Genia. Each side, the spiritual and mortal worlds, had their own healers, though they were rarely needed. On Earth, their bodies healed quickly and didn’t suffer any of the ailments humans had. In some Midworlders, the genetic change performed on their bodies to enable them to come to Earth caused them to be able to use the energy they sent from their bodies to heal rather than attack.
Heath wasn’t convinced Evie was hurt; he considered she was more likely possessed by something. Midworlder healers had never succeeded in curing humans of such things as cancer, so he couldn’t see how it would work now. As they walked into his study, Evie grabbed his hand. He could feel her shaking. She always seemed so tough, and yet was still vulnerable and afraid.
Genia stood before them, and he had to admit she was not at all what he expected. She couldn’t be more than four feet tall and petite, dressed in a suit reminiscent of Chanel from the fifties. Her hair was gray and her face showed the wrinkles and years of a woman of advanced age. The other healers he had met were younger, but he had heard that healing aged them more quickly than other Midworlders. He walked across and bowed his head in reverence to her then turned to introduce Evie.
“This is Evie, the human we have asked you to see.”
“Hello, do come and sit next to me. I cannot say if I can help you. I’m unable to heal humans, but Heath believes what ails you may be connected to our kind somehow. Now, tell me what you know.”
Heath sat opposite as Evie described her accident and the past five years, during which she had separated herself from the world. Genia smiled when she had finished.
“I think we should retire to your room, and I’ll try to scan your body. I suggest you have more of your people present, Heath. If this entity has stayed hidden for so long, it may not want an intrusion by the likes of me.”
Evie’s hand was cold and clammy in his as they walked up to her room. Now the moment of truth had come, he feared for them both. Whatever it was, it had nearly killed him in the conduit and would surely fight now. At least this time he was ready for it.
Evie laid on the bed as Suzie and three others of his enclave took position around the room. The rest of his people were on duty guarding the perimeter in case Charles and his men happened to show up. He considered asking Georgia to come, but there was too much he didn’t yet know about the woman. Evie glanced across at him, and he could see her breathing had become more rapid as she gripped onto the bed sheets.
“Close your eyes, Evie, and let your body and mind relax so you can let me in.”
Genia stood at the end of the bed and raised her arms. Almost immediately, golden beams of light were emitted from the palms of her hands, aimed at Evie. Heath tried to join thoughts with Genia to help understand what was happening. Genia was making her way around Evie’s body with her thoughts. There seemed to be no major abnormalities. Then they made their way to her mind. It all appeared normal, but Heath knew that could not be possible. He had felt the darkness and its malicious intent. He sent his thoughts out to Genia, knowing she was about to withdraw.
“Keep looking. I know it’s still here.”
Genia probed deeper, peeling away days and years of Evie’s memories until it reached the moment of the car crash.
I found you. Your time here is done. Genia’s thoughts filled the room loud and clear.
Evie’s face was drawn in a wicked grin as a black shadow surrounded her body. She spoke in a voice so low it sounded like an old man chewing on gravel.
Evie said two words before the explosion of heat hit him. “You fools.”
Chapter 10
Sect
Arthur rubbed his temple in frustration. He was sixty-four, and his life was passing him by. At this rate, he would never fulfill his dream of showing the world that paranormal activity was all around them. He was tired of being laughed at, and if what the doctor had said last week was true, he only had two months at best to live.
Tonight he would try to make contact with the unknown again. He was sure it would work this time with the new ritual he had researched. Gerald had grumbled skeptically earlier when he had mentioned it. He was probably in his room sulking now. Maybe it had been a mistake to make him his second-in-command. All the time, he was complaining they were going too far. Gerald was squeamish and didn’t want to kill anyone, but Arthur knew it was the only way to find the truth.
The steps creaked as he made his way down to the basement of his old terraced house. From the outside, it didn’t look any different from the other houses on the street, but down here he had a table set up for the sacrifice. He wished he had some ornate dagger to kill the person with, but a sharp kitchen knife would do. The cloak he intended to wear was hanging on the wall. It was red and had a star embroidered on the back. He noticed this morning how pale his skin had become and would need the color of the robe to impress his followers. Sometimes he saw them as vultures circling, waiting for him to die. If they knew what he was trying to achieve would bring him health and power so he could control them, they might not be so keen to assist him.
His visions were telling him the time was near, and he believed them. They had always pushed him in the right direction. As a result, he had found this house and his followers. He glanced toward the corner of the room where the altar to Awhen was set up. Falling to his knees he glanced up at the rocks and statues he had collected on his trips. Awhen was seen as different creatures to different people, but he saw him as he truly was.
Arthur took a syringe from his pocket and rolled up his sleeve. He tied a cord around his upper arm and tapped the vein at his elbow to make it stand out. Inserting the needle, he undid the cord and injected a dose of morphine.
It would help the pain caused by the cancer, but after adding the crystals to it, he found it also made his visions clearer. Gazing down at the half-empty vial, he could see the supply of crystals was dwindling. Despite his exhaustive search on the Internet, no more could be found. The addiction to the crystal substance was strong, and he was not sure how he would behave when it was gone. He would have to find a substitute if he could not discover a greater power. Plus he was concerned how his followers would react when he didn’t have it to offer them anymore. Gerald said the crystals made him feel invincible, but he never mentioned the visions. Arthur had always assumed it was the combination of the crystals and morphine that helped. Who would have thought there could be an upside to cancer?
He recited the prayers he had discovered and memorized. He knew Awhen would not let him down. The vision was vague and insubstantial at first, but when he peered into the alcove he could see the figure forming. The body was male and well-built, and naked apart from a loin cloth. Awhen’s skin glistened in the light of the candles as if it had been covered by oil. Arthur was sexually attracted to both men and women and would have loved to run his hands over his lord’s chest. Awhen was handsome, and his long black hair hung around his shoulders, but it was the eyes that held Arthur. They were black with no whites at all, and it made him feel like he would be scared to death by them if he didn’t obey his lord.